Golf-ball.



F. LA 0. WADSWORTH.

GOLF BALL.

APPLICATION man MAR.28.1911.

Patented May 9, 1916.

WITNEssEs 3 l" 27N rin-iran santas raann'r onirica.

FRANK L. 0. WADSWORTH, OF SEWICKLEY, PENNSYLVANIA.

GOLF-BALL.

Application led March 28, 1,911. Serial No. 617,522.

To all 'whom t may concern Be it known that I, FRANK L. O. VVADs- WORTH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sewickley, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Golf-BallsJ of which improvement the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the construction and manufacture of golf balls; and the particular object of this invention is the production of a golf ball which will have a very high degree of elasticity, and Will also have great carrying powers.

The further object of the invention is the production of a golf ball which will be comparatively inexpensive and will also be very durable in use.

In the drawings which form part of this specification Figure l is a cross-section of the golf ball constructed in accordance With my invention; Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the same ball on the plane 1-1 of Fig. l; Figs-3 and 4 are detail views of one of the metal strips used in the construction shown in Figs. l and Q; Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate another construction embodying my improvement; andvFig. 7 illustrates a device for the construction of the inner parts of the ball.

shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

The specific qualities which are of particular importance in golf balls are a high degree of resiliency, which will cause the ball to leave the head of the club with a minimum loss of the energy imparted to it by the impact of the club head; accuracy of form and uniformity of mass distribution which will secure accuracy of play; an elasticity or elastic rigidity of form that will resist distortion under severe use, and the greatest possible carrying power which is in general obtained by the conservation of the rotative momentum resulting from the spin of the ball as it leaves the head of the club. This conservation of rotative momentum or spin is dependent upon the distribution of metal in the body of the ball. lt will be the maximum when the mass of material is concentrated as closely as possi! Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 9, 11916.

could be driven through the air would be.

correspondingly increased. But the reduction in the size of the ball is limited by the conditions of play, which necessitates the use of a ball large enough to be readily found and also large enough to enable it to be struck with the club head even when it is partially buried or covered by ob-structions or irregularities on the course.

In the golf ball of ordinary construction the material used is rubberor gutta percha, which has a very high degree of resiliency, but which is of comparatively small density and is also easily cut or distorted by the blows of the club. Because of the 10W density of this material the ball must be made solid in order to obtain sullicient- Weight without undue increase in size, and conse quently undue resistance of the air to its Hight.. Making the ball solid greatly reduces its rotative momentum under a certain spin, and correspondingly reduces the length of time during which this spin will persist. As is well understood, it is the -effeet of this spin which is largely responsible for sustaining the ball in the air and enables it to be driven a long distance. evident, therefore, that any construction which will retain the qualities of Weight and elastic rigidity of form and at the same time obtain a greater degree of rotative momentum will correspondingly increase the length of such flight.

lshell or shells being formed of highly. elastic metal, such as tempered steel, made in the form of bands or coils and assembled at right angles to each other and symmetrically disposed about the center of the ball: and an outer shell of rubber, gutta pei-cha, or similar material, cemented, vulcanized or otherwise suitably secured around the inner steel shells so as to form a substantially integral whole. As the density of steel is about nine times the density of rubber, and as the weight of the exterior portions of a spherical body is relatively very much greater than the weight of the inner portions, it is possible to obtain by the use of steel bands or coils of `compara-tively It issmall thickness the same weight as is obtained by using a solid rubber ball of the same external dimensions. The use of steel bands or coils, which may be first formed and then hardened and tempered before assembly. makes it possible to obtain a very highly elastic and resilient metal structure or framework for the reception and support of the outer rubber or gutta percha covers;V

and further makes it possible to assemble the parts in the desired position with ease and rapidity and with the attainment of any desired accuracy in external form. At the same time the concentration of the mass of the material at the outer surface of the ball gives to the ball the maximum degree of rotative momentum under a given spin and thus enables me to attain both the maXimum driving effect from the blow of the club and also the maximum carrying effect resulting from the resistance of the spin during the flight of the ball. The construction also enables me to produce a golfball which is simple and easy to make. is accurate in form, and is very durable in use.

Referring now to the drawings, Fig. 1 illustrates a construction in which the body of the inner spherical metallic shell is made up of three bands of steel', 15, 16 and 17 of curved cross section (as shown in Fig. 4) each of which is first bent to circular form, with its scarfed or tapered ends (shown in Fig. 3) welded or riveted or brazed together to form a ring. The strips or bands may be made of tempered steel (in case the ends are riveted together) or they may be formed of soft steel which is hardened and tempered after the ringv has been formed. These rings are assembled so that each one is at right angles tothe other two, and to avoid projections and protuberances on the outer surfaces of the spherical body the two rings 15 and 16 are formed with inwardly bent portions 18, 19` 18, 19 and 20, 20, which are of the same depth as the thickness of the rings and are so positioned as t0 receive-when the rings are assembled-the overlying parts of the adjacent ring. The ring 17 is made smooth and continuous in outline.

The rings 15 and 16 are first assembled at right angles to each other by compressing the ring 15 to an elliptical shape and slipping the ring 16 sidewise over the short ,axis of the ellipse until it engages with two diametrically opposite notches 18, 18, on the ring 15. The ring 16 is then revolved until the two notches 20, 20, in. its periphery lie in the plane of the two remaining unengaged notches 19, 19, in the first ring 15, as shown in Fig. 1. Thelast smooth ring 17 is then slipped over the two crossed rings 15 and 16 until it engages and locks in the de ressions or notches 19, 19, and 20, 20. he three rings may then if desired beriveted together at their crossing points, rivet holes being drilled for that purpose through the metal before the rings are tempered. The triangular openings between the adjacent edges of the crossed rings are then covered by the spring steel plates 21, eight in number which are stamped with upturned U shaped edges 22, 22, and are sprung in between the edges of the steel rings 15, 16, and 17 as shown in Fig. 2. The entire assemblage of rings and plates-all held together by spring pressure-is then covered with rubber, compressed cork or similar material to form a smooth spherical ball, to which is applied in turn the other corrufated cover, 23, which may be made of rubber, gutta percha or leather; and may be cemented or vulcanized in place in the usual manner.

In the construction illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 the resilient-metallic shells are formed from spring wire which is wound up on a suitable mandrel to form hemispherical coils 24, 24. Two of these coils after being formed and tempered are brought together to form an inner spherical wire shell, as shown in. Fig. 6. This shell may be coated with rubber, and then covered with gutta percha or leather; but preferably the first inner wire is reinforced by a second outer one of a construction similar to the inner one, but so assembled with reference to it that the wire coils of the two shells are disposed at right angles to each other. In all of leather formed with the desired surfacevv corrugations, or markings is applied to the composite steel rubber shell and cemented, or vulcanizedv or otherwise suitably secured in lace thus completing the ball.

n Fig. 7 I have sho-wn a mandrel or form suitable for winding up the hemispherical wire shells 24. In thisfigure 27 represents the mandrel o-n which the wire is wound, the outer end of this mandrel being provided with a helical or spiral groove 27a of such form as to give to the wire coils the desired final shape. 28, 29, and 30 are clamps, the first or inner one of which, 28 is screwed directly on the spindle of the mandrel 27 and is spaced at such a distance from the winding surface thereof as to just permit the three inner coils of wire to enter the groove thus formed to receive them between the part 27 and the part 28. The outer surface llO :uieaeoa @3 of the cylinder 28 is formed with a screw thread of the same pitch as that of the helical coil of wire. and this screw engages with the thread on the inner surface of the clamp 29. A similar thread on the cylinder 29kengages with the thread on the inner surface of the clamp 30. The outer diameters of the clamps 29 and 30 are the same and both are frictionally engaged by the inner surface of a split friction ring 3l mounted on the frame of the winding machine. The end of the wire having been inserted in the hole 32 and the parts having been assembled in the position indicated in Fig. 14, with the collars 29 and 30 screwed back against the respective shoulders on the collars 28 and 29, the spindle carrying the mandrel 27 is started and the wire wound in the groove 28. rl`he collar or cylinder 29 will at first be held from revolving with the spindle and mandrel 27, by the frictional en` gagement of the clamp ring 3l, and will therefore be advanced longitudinally on the inner spindle 28 by its screw engagement therewith; the advance being so timed that the inner curved clamping surface of the collar 29 will reach and engage with the coil of wire wound on the mandrel 27, at about the time that the outer turn of said coil attains the diameter of said clamping surface. When this engagement takes place further advance of the collar 29 is prevented, both by its engagement with the wire coils and its simultaneous engagement, through the ring 32, with the end of the inner fixed cylinder 28. rll`he clamp collar 29 then begins to revolve with the spindle and winding mandrel 27, and the outer clamp collar 80, being held from rotation by frictional engagement with the friction clamp 3l, is now advanced in turn on the collar 29 by the screw engagement between said collars 29 and 30. rllhis advance is likewise timed so that the inner curved clamp surface of collar 30 reaches and engages with the coils of Wire at just about the time when they have attained a diameter corresponding to that of the Outeisurface of said collar 30. rl`he balance of the coil can then be wound without difficulty directly on the remaining approximately cylindrical surface of the mandrel 27.

When the coil is completed the free end may be held in place by the clamp, 33, and the entire mandrel and coil 27 with its attached clamp collars, etc., removed from the winding spindle 35 by opening the split ring 31. rfhe coil can then be tempered without removing it'from its mandrel thus securing the desired form and resiliency of spring body. without danger of distorting the coil or injuring the metal during the heating and subsequent chilling in the tempering process. By providing a number of such mandrels-which are cheap and easy to make-the required hemispherical spring shells can be turned out very rapidly and at small expense. l have not described in detail the coating and covering of these various metal'shells with rubber or gutta percha or leather coverings because different methods for doing this are well known and because such processesin themselves form no part of my present invention. I may indeed in some cases dispense entirely with any elastic coatings or coverings of an organic nature and form a plain spring steel or resilient metal shell With the necessary or desired corrugations, or projections pressed or molded directly on the metal shell itself, before the latter is hardened or tempered. In such a case the metal surface may be covered and protected against rust etc. by a coating of White or suitably colored paint or enamel preferably baked on.

It 'is apparent that in all of the constructions above described the form and arrangements of parts is such as will permit of the use of highly elastic and resilient material, and will secure the symmetrical surface distribution of that material about the three principal mutually perpendicular axes of the ball, thus obtaining the advantages of driving efficiency, stability and accuracy of flight, and great carrying power, which have been already pointed out. lt is also apparent that with this disclosure as a basis various other constructions embodying my invention, may be devised by those skilled in the art.

What l claim isl. A golf ball having a symmetrically balanced metallic body of highly elastic tempered spring metal disposed. in bands crossing each other at right angles, and a non-metallic cover vulcanized to the metallic body, said cover being molded on its outer surface to form a regular series of markings.

2. A golf ball .having a symmetrically balanced metallic body of highly elastic tempered spring metal comprising a plurality of bands crossing each other at right angles, and a non-metallic cover vulcanized to the metallic body, said cover being molded on its outer surface and forming a regular series of markings.

`3. A golf ball having a symmetrically balanced metal body of highly elastic and resilient material, comprising a number of bands, each band having recesses in Which the band adjacent is adapted to be seated, and a non-metallic cover vulcanized to the metal body, said cover being molded to its outer surface and forming a regular series of markings.

si. A golf ball having a symmetrically balanced metal body of highly elastic and resilient material, =comprising a series of bands crossing each other at right angles and a series of metal plates adapted to be inserted in the spaces between the bands, and a non-metallic cover vulcanized to the metal body.

5. A balanced metallic body of highly elastic tempered spring metal disposed in series of circumferentially arranged rings crossing each other at right angles, and a non- 10 metallic covering for the said rings which golf ball having a symrrietricallyv is vulcanized thereto and is molded on its outer surface to form a regular series of markings.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed by naine in the presence of two subi3 scrbing witnesses.

FRANK L. O. WADSWORTH. In the presence of- CLARENCE A. WILLIAMS, JOHN H. RoNEY. 

